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The YANKEE PHILOSOPHER, No. 5.
m to rOVSG LADIES.
T IT jfi H deference to the tribunal before which I new
V V appear, with a heart overflowing with regard to
wards them, and a disposition fixed in their service, I beg
a few moments of their attention. The hints I shall make
are the offspring of an attentive observation, and offered to
their consideration under the auspices of a heart glowing
with sentiments of the most sincere esteem. l>et not a
thoughtless mandate be my fiat, and with pleasure or un
murmuring fortitude I promise to submit. Forgive me
should my observations be felt, and, on my pirt, should
they not, I never will recriminate.
When I reflect on the friendly and sentimental inter
course which ever ought to exist in an enlightened state
between the sexes, which alone is the cement of a moral
charafter in the one, and the source of much valuable in
formation to both; when 1 conclude that an unembarrassed
communication of ideas can alone ensure our happiness,
with the greatest pain I am obliged to trace its non-exist
ence in this place to its proper cause. Yes. young ladies,
even you. who are perhaps preeminent to all others in the
world in many qualifications, have, either from a mistaken
notion of propriety, (excuse my car.dor) or the contamin
ating principles of southern ettiquete, been induced to
sanction their pestiferous customs. It cannot be exquisite
sensibility or delicacy of sentiment, for they vehemently
disclaim the deduction; it is alone an adherence to the
precedents of illiterate bashful ness, which with grief I dis
cover should so long preponderate in enlightened circles.
You may urge the necessity of your conduct from not
finding in the other sex persons whose minds are worthy
of your confidence and regard. I grant you the plea, but
must retort the cause to its origin. While old gentlemen
of 60 and young married libertines are alone admitted to
the smiles of your countenance; while you refuse the vir
tuous young man your hand in crossing a dangerous path,
or in alighting from your carriage; while vou utterly re
fuse him the pleasure of a sentimental morning’s ride or c
vening’s walk; while in company you answer his observa
tions in bashful monosylaoles; while you think it the great
est impoliteness to dete.fl his errors in an argument,’ and
treat him entirely as another being from yourselves; while
you are the first to detracl that lady’s character whom he
has twice visited, without an intention of marrying her;
while he is entirely separated from your society; what e
mu!auon has he to laudable action? his mind is fettered hi
disappointment, he has no stimulus to become worthy of
you, but, driven from \ our society, is either a misanthrop
ist, a debauchee, or a gambler; be is forsaken by those
whose acquaintance he w.shed to cultivate, and in the pa
roxisms of an unsettled determination flits for amusement
to that standard whose specious colors may first attract his
attention; he is then where you find him in your excuse,
un*.orthy of your attention. .
Convinced of the truth of the old adage, that example
is better than precept, I lately had the most flattering
hopes of ail innovation on this head; J have i\ot been en
tirely mistaken, although my prepbeev is not amply ful
filled; one more example might determine your conduct,
for I am sure that w irii one voice all the ladies of Savannah
would cry, 44 they manage these things better in
and get them once to perceive their error the world cannot
produce more willing dispositions to improve. But be as
sured, oung ladies, that uutil you throw off that unmean
ing garb of timid ostentation, until your behavior shall be
the just deduction of your rei&on, until you become more
tide sentimental than the imitative being, until you think
and determine for yourselves, you never can please the
well informed mind either of the otheqsex or your own.
So diffident of their own abilities and rights are the
young ladies of this state, and so fearful of ridicule, that
no occasion whatever can elicit an opinion of their own;
they are even afraid of appearing unfashionable in the
simple operation of their senses, and seldom express their
approbation or disapprobation of colors or sounds until
someone has hinted to them the idea. I would not infer
that they do not possess the ability, for I am convinced to
the contrary; no, their conduct is simply a suspicion of
th.it ability, which might very easily be remedied. I
will tell you a story which happened a few evenings since:
I was in .company \\ here there were several elderly ladies
and gentlemen, and but one young lady; the old folks
were engaged in conversation on topics uninteresting either
So the young lady or myself, who sat at opposite comers
oi the room, occasionally casting our eyes-towards one
affbther, but a sympathetic diffidence seemed to prevail
’between us, and not a word had either of us spoken for
nearly half an hour, and perhaps, had we remained there,
should not have opened our mouths unto this dav, had not
a gentle hectic of shame crossed my cheek, which in a
trembling whisper cried shame on thee, that a philosopher,
and a Y ankce too, should possess no more courage. With
that I immediately rose and drew my chair as close as pos
sible to the young lady’s; she edged hers a little from me;
I gave mine another hitch, observing, at the sape time,
** It is a very pleasant evening, miss.” 44 Yes, sir,” re
plied slif, with the sweetest voice in die world.
lut;kec Philosopher. 44 We have had very little sick
ness in Savannah this summer.”
Lady. 44 Yes, sir.”
1 ankce Philosopher. 44 Do vou attribute it to the
clearing of the wocxls round tlie city?”
Lady. ‘ 4 Yes, sir.”
Yankee Philosopher. But Sr. Pierre very reason
ably argues in favor of the opposite effect.”
Lady. 44 Yes, sir.”
lankec Philosopher. 44 And don’t you think his ar
guments deserve a little credit?”
Lady. 4 ‘ Yes, sir.”
Yankee Philosopher. 44 Then we must endeavor to
find seme oilier cause for the increasing healthiness of the
place.”
Lady 44 Yes, rir.”
Yankee Philosopher. 44 And what other cause should
yai aspect?”
( Hie lady hung down her head and blushed.)
. 1 ankce Philosopher. 4 * Should you not suppose that
Xi.t aoohtipu of the manufacture of indigo has had
effect?”
Lady. 44 Yes, sir.”
After a pause of about two minutes, fearful that the
! topic I had broached was one slie Had thought little upon,
j and consequently was*not prepared to discuss it, I dropped
| it, and proposed a second, from that to a third and fourth,
but invariably found her answers to any speculation I
might make nor mere or less than simply, 44 Yes, sir,”
till at last, a little tired with the monotony, I was deter
mined, if possible, that her harmonious tongue should hum
some other tune, and, with all the expressions of good na
ture I was capableflf shewing, observed, that the music
of frogs at a distance was Very pleasant to the sentimental
! mind; when, to my great astonishment, without moving
a single muscle in her lovelv face, again the lady answer
ed, “ \ es, sir.” I forbore at that time troubling her any
further, firmly believing that some accident must have
happened to her articulating powers, and I have been since
confirmed in my belief, for not long after, happening to
be of another party, where she was also, her elocution was
as fluent and rapid on tlie beauties of a necklace as mr.
Chalmers in his favorite afterpiece The Critic*
I have introduced this dialogue not from any principle
of disrespect towards the lady who bore a part in it, for
I promise her, should she ever read .these lines or not, ne
ver to divulge her name to any living creature, male or
female, that moves upon the face of tlie earth; but my
real motive for recounting it has been, that tlie ludicrous
figure which it cuts on paper may deter other young ladies
from answering, “ Yes, sir,” to every foolish and imper
tinent observation or interrogatory which maV he pat to
them. • A YANKEE PHILOSOPHER.
May io.
TLIE following is the extract of a letter written from
the city o? Lora, by one cf its inhabitant;, to his
friend in this city, in which he gives an account of the
dreadful accident which befel that city from the breaking
of a bank or mound which was conftru&ed a few years ago
to contain the ram water for the purpose of watering the
fields in the neighborhood of that city . Hie number
drowned by this misfortune amounted to 6boo.
u I make known to you, fir, that on the lafl dav of A
pril, (which will be memorable for ages to come) at half
past 3 o’clock in the afternoon, a youth ran into my house
and gave me the lamentable information that the bank had
given way; he accompanied thtfe expressions with so many ;
tears and such fobbing that he could scarcely articulate, or
I underfund him. Ou receiving this fatal notice I ran
with great precipitation into the (freer, where I found a”
general commotion among the people, who were leaving
tiieir dwellings to put themselves in a place of lafety. I re
turned to my heufe, and by my cries collected my w ife,
children, and family; they saw mv trouble; we all ran
precipitately to Calvario to escape the great danger which
threatened; we there found a ccnfiderable number of people
filled with trouble and dread, aiding upon God, and beg
ging for mercy with loud cries and lamentations. I then
saw vast quantities of water defeending from the bills,
which directed itfelf with the greatest fun - imaginable to
wards the olive trees. 1 lef: ray family at Calvario, and
went to the street De la Cava; from thence I taw the water
breaking down the convent of Mercv. Arriving at the
gate of Bordeta the market no longer appeared. I palled
to the House de M iralie?; they there told me that Louies,
lamdies, and even,* thing eiie, had been l\vept awav from
the Botica to the Qmytel, on both sides. The water co
vered the hills and earned away the whole population on
the right crithe fountain. Gur conigiuor was in the palace
directing assistance to be given; he was loon iurrounded by
many people; the general was beat, and every thing was
done tor the tranquillity of the people. At this time news
was received that at the mill of Buena Vista thev found the
lord counfeilor, who had been drowned; immediate orders
were given to tlie people to bring his jbodv; at 12 o’clock
at night *r was brought to Castillo. 1 repaired to tlie gate
ot St. Gines; I there saw that the ffeeple of the convent of
Mercy was threatened with ruin. I repaired to the gate
ot den John Antonio Albuquerque, where at this season
his wife and family rtfide; they had fled on herits. Morinl
was commissioned to collect the dead bodies in the Ovals.
“ At break cf day tlie following morning we heard no- i
thing but lamentations; fome looking for their parents, o
thers for tiieir cuiidren; women fetkmg for tiieir hufb.;ndi;
and all trying tc unite their froiUiesT At the gate called
St. Gints W can no longer fee the sites where the houses
flood; every thing is desolation from the convent of Mercy
to the hclpita! for \Vonttn; the houses carried away from
the barrier alone are rec'coned at 400, and what are left
are greatly injured, as the witter.was in all the second ITO- i
ries. The fee red veffeis of the convent <4 Mercv were .
Found at two leagues dilhnce. ‘Flic church of Sau Chris- j
toval is not much injured, though the water was up to tlie ,
cornices. San Diego is abandoned; the faints are removed.
The fame is the case with La Merced, bec.iufe mil'i and !
tralh are left in them two yards deep. Every thing if J
taken from the tower of La Merced, as it threatened to
fell to ruin. 1 reaches are dug without the town, wliece j
they are going to bury tlie dead without and ltinclion of per- ’
sons, and where they are now colle&ing them in carriages.
Ail the fields and gardens, from the Garden de-Graces to i
the road that paiTts this, have been a river; no habitations ■
are left; people, animals, olive trees, gardens, all have
perifhtd and are ruined. It is fortunate the whole city did
notduffer the fame fate; this would have been tlie case if 1
the Yank had not given wary where it did, and the water
, taken a efireaion to the left of San Diego. ITie lord
counfeilor might have been Paved, as was the foa of his ass
iiftant and his servant, bat he confided in his mules, and
perilhed with them and his coachman. People are fern to
Velez to grind grain; we have no longer anv mills; of t;
I which we had only that of Buena Vista remains, and that
is injured; of oil mills not one is left; of the greatefi part
of Santa Quiteria only the foundations are iefr. The ri
vulets and groves are full of timber and furniture.
44 T he books and accounts of Ramon Garces were found ■
at tlie farm house cf Sutullena, and 34,000 reals belong
ing to him also. As yet I have peither eat nor llept; all is
‘ eonfufion and difinny; all are weeping over tlie dreadful ’
accident.* At present I can fend you no farther particulars
on this fubje<ff, but I will venture to fay that the damage
will be much greater when the waters have palled 20
leagues, whicli is the uifiance from hence to the lea, and
when they have encountered Murcia, Orihaefr, and no
places in their way.” , ''"" cr
Paris, Augujl 4. On the 2d the conservative
after nearing the report cf the fpeciuTcommiffion appoint
to examine the registers of votes on the eipdion o7d*fS
co.ifol for life; after feeing tlie p-ocefs verbal made out S’
the fptcial com million, from which it appears that , 1
citizens have given their fuffrages. of whom 2,c6sjfe- L?
voted that Napolean Bonaparte (hall be coniul for lift- ‘
fide ring also the proofs due by the French nation cf |* r
gratitude to the hero who has fought her cade, and restored
peace by his triumphs, decrees as follows:
1. The French people names, and the senate proeferre
Napolean Bonaparte firft con fid for life. ‘ h
2. A featue of Peace, holding in one hand the laurel of
victory*, and in the other the decree of the senate, fliaUa*
test to po(ferity the gratitude of the nation.
3. Tlie senate (frail cany* to tlie firfi consul this exnref.
lion ol the confidence, the love, and admiration, of tfe
trench people. ‘ t
T j i S 'p ed) T .. pr-fident.
London, July 21. Eighty-tive general officers have
joined 111 making representations upon tlie injustice of hear
ing aimoft all favors upon the troops returned from Italy
and Egypt. R ls remarked that gens. Angereau and
Alalleoa are not amongst the 85.
It 13 said that gen. Ferrand, whs had the command of
tnertroojK at Boulogne when that place was oomhardedbv
j N “ immediately to proceed to St. Domingo
and to ta>ie with bira a reinforcement of 12.000 men. ‘
i F a r y . ett . e has written a letter to Bonaparte on the fob.
jett oi his being consul for life, in which he fays, that
4 he has his vote, prov ided he restores to tlie people of
trance their rights of citizens, and the liberty of the
prei,.’ Bonaparte has sent him back a verbal' meffaee.
frying, 44 I t ll gen. La Fayette if I were to do that which
he vvr.tes neither he nor I would be in France three
months.”
Count Markow, the Ruffian ambaffedor, having ob
ervec., in one ot the conferences refpecfrng the indemni
t es, that a;i Europe would find fault if Piedmont were
left at the dhpoid of die French, Bonaparte is said to have
replied, Then let Europe take it again.
In the year 1794 citizen St. Remy Carrette, of Arras,
m France, purchased the house belonging to the ex comte
De Brandt; in pulling down fome part cf it he found a
lum of money, amounting: to near i s ,cpoJ. On the re
return of tlie unhappy family St. Remy gave up the whole
property to its original owner.
The dungeon of Vincennes, so famed for being thepri
fon of the great Ccnde, and ot the celebrated Mirabeau,
contains at this time no less than 3000 conscripts, who
have refufed to march to the armies; they are confined in
this place until the detachments from the different regi
ments carry them off. It fliould be observed, however,
that they are well treated, have plenty of room to amuse
tfemfelves with different (ports and exercises, and are con
fiuered as refractory, but not as criminal fnbjerils.
The Andrian government have finally decreed, that
henceforth the body cf every person guilty of suicide (frail
be placed in t!-e hangman s cart, and interred by him with
out any funeral ceremony.
A ielf created prophetets late I v darted up in tkeduchv
of Wurtemberg; (be pretended Hie held an epistolary cor
respondence with the arch .ngcis; (he travelled over the
whole country for the comical puroofe of making prose
lytes to her flrange doctrine, and to induce the inhabitants
to follow her to Jerusalem, where (he intended to efhblift
an empire, the laws of which had been handed to her hf
the Holy Ghofii Nctwithllandirg the abfurdltv cf her
predictions Hie had ieveral partisans, who disposed of their
property, and intruded her with the money for which they
had fold it. With these sums (lie was to defrav the tra
velling expences of the lidv group. Thev adhiallvfec
off, but a few days after the prophetess, pufried on by tie
Demon of Concupiscence, eloped with an athletic young
fellow, and carried off the exchequer of the poor pilgrims,
new* reduced to the last Itage of wretchedness.
A modem traveller us, that in many parts of
Siberia they fatten their cattle with the offals of fifh, atd
that the cows prefer dried salmon to hay. This may be in
uft ful bint to our Engiifh breeders, as fife may be tins
applied to fome good purpose, and yet not withheld from
the poor.
l>r. Gordon has announced the difeovery cf the art of
making floor from a certain fubfiance which abounds in ■
England, by which flour may be afforded at one fourth w’ b
the price of t’ne wheaten, with which it is equally natrid- B ;
ous and palatable, and will keep its quality ranny years. ■
In the cmirie of one of the trials that took p* ace 03 I
Monday at Guildhall mr. Garrow, in crcfi exaniinißgi ■.
witntfs, who had been fix years imprisoned in Newgate ■
a receiver cf llolen goods, alked him, 44 Prav, fir, is not K
the plaintiff also a .very refptclable receiver of
goods?” T'he anlVer was, 44 Certainly, fir, I have alwapjjp
ceniidered him in that light.” H
In another trial a boy was produced as a witnels, K
appeared so > oung that it wa? doubted w httlier be K
fluently acquainvfd with the folenui nature and obligst® 3 ■g
of an oath; he was tufrtfore examined by tire counie
that point, and was a(ktx! dneclly, * 4 V hat does R
oblige you to do?” 44 It obliges me,” replied the boy, ■
go to hit 11 if Ido not (peak the tnsui*” An aniwer ■L
tlirvcf c< mpletely fatislitd the learned coufe'fo snd: ” K:
was examined. T 1
In the couife of a trial in the king's I'ench, j I
mr. Garrow*, in examining a corpulent witness, °tt e!,,l V I
44 You gentlemen millers fi em to thrive better than ■
at tlie bar.” u Yes,” replied the witness, “
deep better!” 44 Why for” continued mr. Garroff, I
cause,” (aid the miller, ** we have clearer confc* aCIS ®
take it.' L Manv people doubt this. /,■
Augujl 7. Tlie Dutch fouadron. confifling of J ■
gun (liips and a (loop, which carried out troops to St* I
mingo, has put into Falmouth on its return to 1
PROVIDENCE. Augujl 21.
THE garden cf dr. John Keatv his this year? I’*’ 1 ’*’ ■■
ed a feuafh (or fvmblin) weighing icj Jy ■
Nev York, Sept cm ber 8. We fome time
liihed a fi.ort paragraph ou the circumP.ance of t W